Afenifere, YCE, others rage,as herdsmen burn Falae’s farm again in Ondo

 

OUTRAGE greeted the invasion and razing of the farm belonging to former Secretary to the Government of Nigeria, SGF, Chief Olu Falae, yesterday, at Igbatoro in Akure North council of Ondo State.

Four workers, who reside on the farm, were attacked and their personal belongings carted away before the farm was razed.

Vanguard gathered that the marauding herdsmen, numbering about 10, with over a thousand cows, invaded the farm around 11pm on Sunday and set it ablaze.

Falae’s Personal Assistant, Captain Moshood Raji (retd), who confirmed the invasion and destruction, said the herdsmen “have been coming to destroy the maize and cassava farm at will.”

Raji said: “Last week, they went to the Citrus Farm, but the Police engaged them. They came back last night (Sunday) to attack the innocent staff.”

But the former SGF has written a ‘Save our Soul’ letter to the Amotekun security outfit in the state.

Falae, in the letter dated Monday, November 23 and addressed to the commandant of the security outfit, Adetunji Adeleye, urged the outfit not to allow a repeat of the ugly incident that occurred in 2015 when marauding herdsmen kidnapped him on his farm.

Falae said: “In the last few weeks, Fulani herdsmen came into my maize farm twice to eat up and trample large sessions of the farm.

“I reported the incidents to Chairman of the Miyetti Allah in Ondo State, Alhaji Bello, and nothing was done.

“In the last few days, they have gone to attack my citrus farm by stealing harvested oranges and destroying what they could not carry away.

The police on security duty on the farm were sent to drive them away.

“But they have been coming back every night to attack my workers in our camp, breaking their door and carting away all their belongings.

“Please, let  Amotekun  save us and our livelihood. They kidnapped me on September 21, 2015; they should not be allowed to do it again. Thank you for rendering our race this patriotic duty.”

Meanwhile, expressing anger over the attack on Falae’s farm, the pan-Yoruba socio-political organization, Afenifere, said marauding herdsmen have become a special menace but warned that their atrocities will no longer be tolerated.

Similarly, the Yoruba Council of Elders, YCE, frowned at the attack.